Islamabad (National Times) On the occasion of the death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has reaffirmed its commitment to the principles and ideals of the Father of the Nation, particularly his vision of a free, responsible and principled press.
In a joint statement, PFUJ President Rana Azim and Secretary General Shakeel Ahmed said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah attached great importance to an independent and responsible press as an essential pillar of a democratic society. They reaffirmed that PFUJ would continue to uphold the highest standards of journalism and remain committed to protecting the rights and dignity of journalists.
The PFUJ leaders said that Pakistan is currently facing serious internal and external pressures, instability and the continuing challenge of terrorism. In such circumstances, they said, the responsibility of the media becomes even greater. Journalism must serve the public interest, uphold truth and accountability, and contribute towards strengthening national unity and democratic values.
They categorically stated that the PFUJ would never become a vehicle for yellow journalism or support any journalistic practice that undermines Pakistan’s national unity, state institutions, national security or the credibility and dignity of journalism itself. They emphasized that criticism, dissent and accountability are fundamental rights and responsibilities of journalism, but the profession must never be exploited for personal interests, malicious propaganda or the advancement of foreign agendas.
The PFUJ leadership reiterated that the organization has always stood with genuine journalists and the wider journalist community and will continue to fight for their legitimate rights. They said journalism must be treated as a public responsibility and not merely as a commercial enterprise. The PFUJ condemns any attempt to misuse journalism for personal, financial or vested interests, or to act as a conduit for external interests from within Pakistan. Such elements, they said, neither represent the genuine journalist community nor have any place in the principles and struggle of the PFUJ.
President Rana Azim and Secretary General Shakeel Ahmed also urged the Federal Government, particularly the Minister for Information, Secretary Information and Principal Information Officer, to recognize the PFUJ as a genuine and representative organization of Pakistani journalists. They said the PFUJ has a long-standing record of defending press freedom, journalists’ rights and responsible journalism and has also represented Pakistan’s journalist community at international forums.
During PFUJ Secretary General Shakeel Ahmed’s recent visit, detailed discussions were held with senior representatives of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) regarding the challenges facing journalism and journalists in Pakistan. The PFUJ Secretary General strongly presented the perspective of Pakistani journalists, defended Pakistan’s position and highlighted the genuine concerns and challenges confronting the country’s media community.
On the death anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the PFUJ leadership reaffirmed that it would continue its struggle for press freedom, the protection of journalists’ rights, responsible journalism, democratic values and the national interest. The PFUJ will not support any attempt to use journalism in a manner that undermines Pakistan’s national unity, democratic institutions or the dignity of the journalistic profession.